New Jersey Park Adds Rain Garden

A rain garden will be added to the eco-friendly features of Middletown, N.J.'s Poricy Park, thanks to a $10,000 grant from New Jersey American Water. The award is part of the company's annual Environmental Grant Program, which offers funding for qualifying, innovative, community-based environmental projects that improve, restore or protect watersheds, surface water and/or groundwater supplies.

"Rain gardens like this are a great demonstration of what people can do to conserve water and protect our water supply from the contamination of storm runoff," said Anthony Matarazzo, the company's senior director of water quality and environmental management. "The selection of the Middletown rain garden proposal was made by a panel of our employees based on its goals, impact, innovation, design, collaboration, sustainability and community engagement. We are impressed with the project."

Middletown's rain garden project will accept rainwater runoff from nearby buildings, allow the runoff to flow back into the ground and reduce the loading of nutrients and pollutants in the runoff. "The rain garden will also serve as a teaching tool for park visitors on how rain gardens can be employed to improve the environment and help recharge the groundwater table," said Middletown's Assistant Public Works Director Vic Wymbs.

New Jersey American Water's Environmental Grant Program provides funding to organizations engaged in activities that improve a community's water supply or improve, restore or protect watersheds, or promote water conservation. Such projects may include wildlife habitat improvement, storm water management, wellhead protection initiatives, watershed cleanups, rain garden projects and water conservation or reforestation efforts. Since it began in 2009, New Jersey American Water's Environmental Grant Program has provided nearly $110,000 in grants to notable green projects.